A Love That Consumes
by FirstLove15
Summary: Okay, I wrote through the last summer to make up for tragic lost time so I want to do it again this summer. My version of Season 4 vamp diaries! Delena of course but a lot of triangle stuff. Delena mostly but Also Stelana. : reviews!
1. Chapter 1

I remember feeling a strange rush of heat. That, and that alone was all I was aware of. I can't say it was entirely uncomfortable. It was like coming out of cold rain and sitting by a fire. The heat wasn't around me though. It was inside me. Growing more and more. Then I remembered that I had been dying. I was under water. I remembered telling Stefan to get Matt. He tried to protest but I insisted. I remembered seeing them disappear and just as I was going to reach for my seat belt my lungs burning, begging for air finally forced a large inhale and I took in a rush of water. I died. I remember...dying.

I sat up taking in a gasp of air. It was all a bad dream.

Except that it wasn't.

I sat up looking around, feeling strangely alert. There was Stefan. Watching me with red rimmed,wide, scared eyes.

"Elena." He whispered. It sounded strange when he spoke. It was too loud for a whisper.

"I died, I was dead." I said. I realized I felt completely off, everything felt completely off. I looked around and realized I was in an exam room in the hospital. The lights were off but I could see everything clearly.

"Elena, I'm so sorry." Stefan whispered. His voice wavering with on coming tears.

I shook my head, trying to grasp what was happening. It seemed only a moment ago I had excepted that I was dying. I embraced it. Ready to be on the other side. Ready to let go. I opened my mouth to ask him what was happening but I heard strong steady footsteps coming down the hall. I heard them coming closer and closer. Stefan looked at me seeming to take note that I heard the footsteps as well. The door flung open, the hallway light filtering in. It was too bright.

"Elena!" Damon said. I heard a certain vulnerability in his voice. One I had only been familiar with a few times. This time the vulnerability wasn't in the softness of his voice or the whispers in the dark. It was the whimper in the way he said my name. He came rushing around the table I was on and touched my face. I closed my eyes, feeling the softness of his hand on my skin. It felt electrified. He took his hand away.

"How did this happen Stefan?" Damon said in a low, dangerous tone.

"Let's talk about this later, Damon." Stefan said.

I watched Damon's face grow dark with anger. He gripped the side of the table I was on so hard I heard it creak under the pressure of his hands.

My head began to ache and I felt this pain growing in fingers, my toes, and my gums.

"I was dead." I told Damon. My head felt muddled and confused. It seemed that was the only message I could convey.

"You ARE dead, Elena." Damon said. He said it in such a way that it showed anger and tenderness at the same time. He was looking at Stefan when he said it but then his eyes flicked over to me. "I'm sorry." He said.

"What's happening?" I said, suddenly I felt panic setting in.

I saw Stefan and Damon share a glance.

"Answer me!" I said looking between them.

"You're in transition." Stefan said.

My body went cold. "No." I whispered.

"I'm so sorry." Damon said. Tears forming in his eyes.

"No!" I screamed. I felt Stefan put his hand on my arm but I jerked away. I wasn't angry with them. I was just scared. Confused. Growing in pain and irritation. I could hear the buzzing from the halogen lights in the hallway and they seemed to be growing louder.

"Where's Matt. Is he-?"

"He's alive. I got him out in time." Stefan said.

I nodded. "Good."

I saw Damon look at Stefan in a way that spoke without words. He was putting together the pieces. He was beginning to realize that Stefan saved Matt over me because that's what I asked. He looked at me and I could see that he decided to wait for that heated conversation.

"I want to go home." I said. I got off the table and walked through the door without any protest from Damon or Stefan. Just as I walked out of the door, Jeremy came barreling down the hallway.

"Elena!" He said, picking up his pace when he saw me. He ran toward me and I met him with open arms. I hugged him close, feeling like he was the closest thing to home. I suddenly realized that even though I wanted to save Matt, I hadn't thought about Jeremy. What would he have done if I had died? I felt the warmth of his body, felt the pulse under his flesh. My teeth began constricting and burning and a hunger I had never felt began to over take me. Before I even realized it I felt my face turn into his neck. His pulse grew louder and louder. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder and I was jerked back.

"Elena. Come on. We need to get you back to the house." Damon said.

"This is your fault." Jeremy said, his voice filled with rage as he looked back and forth between Damon and Stefan. I waited for Damon to snap at Jeremy, as he usually did but the brothers were silent. Guilty silent.

"Jeremy, Please...we just need to go. I don't feel good." I said.

We wound up at the boarding house. I didn't have the will to fight against it. Besides, it was basically home there as well. Stefan led me upstairs to his room and I laid down on the bed.

"You know we need to talk." Stefan said.

"I don't feel good. Please just let me sleep." I asked.

Damon walked in without hesitation. "You don't feel good because you need to feed on human blood Elena." Damon said, a little too loudly.

"Please, just let me think." I said, shoving my head into the pillow.

"What is there to think about? Feed or you'll die." Damon snapped.

"Damon, just stop." Stefan said.

"No, NO. I'm tired of you letting her make every little decision. People don't always make the best decisions for themselves Stefan." Damon growled.

"Is it best?" I said, sitting up and holding my head. The ache got stronger. "Is it best that I become a vampire, Damon? I already wanted to drink Jeremy's blood. My own brother! The only family I have in this world. If I go ahead and die, Jeremy can move on with his life. Matt can move on with his. You two can move on."

"Oh really Elena. Just move on, huh? Just get over it. Just act like it doesn't matter. What is it you humans say? Time heals all wounds? Well it's bull shit! Jeremy won't be okay. Matt won't be okay...I...I won't be okay." Damon said, his voice breaking.

I looked up at Damon. His eyes shining with tears. I looked over at Stefan. He was looking at me. His arms folded over his chest. He was trying to hold back his emotions on purpose to make me feel more comfortable. It was funny, the difference between Stefan and Damon. Stefan was so text book. Perfect. Careful with me. Damon was wreckless, emotional, passionate. An absolute beautiful mess.

"Please, just give me some time alone." I asked.

Once they left I walked over to the window and opened it. I took in the night air. Thick with humidity. I could smell game. Trees. Grass. I could smell the water soaking into the soil. I sat down and leaned my head against the wall. I thought about my choices. I could die. Like I originally thought was happening. Maybe if I died I could see my parents again and Jenna and even Alaric. So many people I loved were gone. It would feel so good to see them. Then I thought about what Damon said. I thought about Jeremy. I put myself in his shoes and imagined for only a second that Jeremy was dead. It would be hell for me. Hell right here on earth. How could I do that to him? My other option was to feed and complete the transition. I would live on forever. Considering I didn't get staked. I would eventually lose everyone I loved. Jeremy, Bonnie, Matt. I considered who I would have. Caroline. Stefan...Damon. Damon. A love that consumes me. I thought about my conversation with Matt. That's what I told him about Damon. I thought about my conversation with Damon right before I died. That I cared about him and that's why I had to let him go. I knew it wasn't as simple as that but had to make a decision. The last thing I said to him. "Maybe if we had met first." So stupid. A love that consumes me. A hunger that consumes me. That is what I would really be dealing with if I went ahead with the transition. Then it struck me, and it struck me hard. I would have to mourn the things that would never be for me. For Elena Gilbert. I never live a normal life. Ever. That fight was over. I would never love a human man. I would never grow old with him. I would never have a family of my own. I would never...be a mother. A chance at a normal life, no matter what...was gone.

I could either die, or be a vampire.


	2. Chapter 2

I sat at the window thinking over the choices I had for what seemed like forever. In the end it really came down to one thing. Life as I knew it was over.

I heard a knock at the door. Then the door opened slowly. I narrowed my eyes on the figure walking in until I realized it was Caroline.

"Caroline." I said as I walked to her. She grasped me into a hug. "I'm so sorry about Tyler." I said. She sobbed for a moment, but only a moment. I could tell that Caroline was gathering strength, to handle what was happening with me. Not Tyler.

"No, please...we can talk about that later." Caroline said, sucking back tears.

"No, Caroline. I'm tired of everyone making a huge exception for me. I don't know why you guys have always done it. I've always been the exception. Everyone I know has suffered for me, to save me, or protect me or to spare my feelings. I just want honesty and right now I want to know if you're okay." I told her.

She sat down on the bed and shook her head. I joined her.

"No, I'm not okay." Caroline broke into tears. "I've lost him, Elena. We were about to leave together. The council knows about us. One minute I'm about to run away with him the next I'm running for my life. Leaving him behind, to die." She sobbed.

"Oh, Caroline. I'm so sorry." I said, leaning in to hug her.

"I know I told you I was biased about Stefan. I just want you to know I'm not Elena. Love has no rules. No bounderies. If you love Damon, it's for a reason. It's no different than me loving Matt but then falling for Tyler.

I couldn't do anything but stare at Caroline.

"You made a decision." Caroline said, seeing the look on my face.

"I told Damon that no matter what I couldn't un fall for Stefan. I even said maybe if we had met first." I shook my head. "Omigod Caroline." I leaned forward and laid my head into her lap.

"Boy problems can last for eternity. What we really need to be talking about is your transition." She said, stroking my hair. For a moment I just enjoyed the feeling of her fingers through my hair. Like my mother used to do.

That's when Caroline and I both heard a raised conversation from downstairs.

**STEFAN & DAMON**

Damon poured a second glass of scotch and slammed it on the table next to Stefan. Stefan winced but regained his cool facade.

"So. Elena...insist that you save Matt before her. How very Elena is that? So YOU decide to go with what she says. Tell me Stefan, did you enjoy the dive back down to get Elena? Knowing it was too late? Because ONCE AGAIN you let her make every decision."

"She deserves to make her own decisions." Stefan said.

"Elena Gilbert is the most self sacrificial person I've ever met. If it weren't for someone like me...pissing her off every four days, she would have been dead a long time ago and you know it." Damon hissed.

"What are you trying to say?" Stefan said, voice low and challenging.

"I'm saying congrats. I've done all the dirty work to keep the peace while you've come out smelling like roses because you bend to her every whim. Like she's Katherine." Damon snapped.

"She's not Katherine." Stefan said standing to his feet.

"No shit, Stefan. I just seem to be the only one who's treated her like she wasn't Katherine. She doesn't always get what she wants and she's strong enough to handle it. Pissed or not." Damon said.

"You think maybe you're just angry because she chose me?"

Damon stood silent. Instead a small smile appeared. One he had trained himself to show when he was defeated.

"Besides, I thought we came to an agreement. The one that wasn't chosen was leaving town." Stefan said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yeah you're right Stefan." Damon crossed the room and stood inches from Stefan. "But let me make one thing clear. If you remember correctly...what Elena said was that she didn't want to make a decision because she didn't want to lose anyone else. She chose you, but I'm going to stick around anyway. It's what will make her happier. I guess I'm like you in that way." Damon said.

"Don't act so self righteous, Damon. You act out of selfishness." Stefan said.

"You have no idea how unselfish I've been in the past brother." Damon said.

"You're right. I'm clueless!" Stefan said, getting heated.

**Elena & Caroline**

"Omigod." Caroline said as we listened in on their conversation.

"Caroline. I think I'm ready." I said.

"If you think for a second that you're choosing to die like my father did to me then you're crazy and I-"

"No, Caroline. I mean I'm ready to finish the transition. I've thought it through." I assured her.

"Really. Oh thank god! I'll help you, I promise. I'll "show you the ropes" as they say." She laughed, but I could hear the pain behind it.

"Stefan, Damon." I called. They're argument stopped immediately and they made their way upstairs.

"Can Jeremy be here?" I asked sitting on the bed watching them scramble about getting ready for my transition. Damon ran to get a bag of blood and Stefan suggested it would be better for me to start injesting a drop of vervain with everything I drank. I acted casual but inside I was so afraid. I couldn't stop thinking about my mom and dad. What would they tell me at this moment? Would they be disappointed?

"It would be better if he wasn't. We can't predict your level of control when it comes to blood. Trust me, he's already tried to come see you. Twice. It's for his best interest." Stefan said.

I couldn't help but to notice that he was saying no to something I wanted. It was different.

Damon came back into the room holding a glass with blood. I was surprised that I could smell it and that I wasn't repulsed. If anything I was ready to get rid of the blinding headache.

"Drink up." Damon said handing me the glass without hesitation. Then when my eyes filled with tears his face softened. "Elena, whatever you're holding onto...you have to let it go now." Damon said. I looked at him for a moment and he nodded. Something about what he said made me suddenly feel strong. He was right. I had no other choice but to let go. Let go of a normal human life. It was time to embrace being a vampire. I looked at Damon, Stefan and Caroline and knew that at for as many lives as I lived...at least I wasn't alone.

I turn the glass up and drank.

I was suddenly over come with a sense of strength and power like I had never felt. Even more a sense of hunger for more. Once it was all gone I looked at the bottom of the glass and my hands shook seeing none left. I felt my gums burn and teeth ache as my canines grew. I through the glass down and ran to the bathroom in a speed I couldn't comprehend. Caroline, Damon and Stefan were all behind me in a moment, not sure of what I was doing. I looked at myself in the mirror. I began to gasp for air, shocked and scared when I saw my face. Like I had always seen on Stefans face, on Damon's ….like Katherines...I was a vampire. Inside I was dueling with the feeling of fear and of absolute health and perfection. I felt strong, vibrant, powerful. It felt good. I leaned into the mirror...touching my teeth and the area around my eyes. Stefan walked up next to me and put his hand on my shoulder. He looked at me through the mirror.

"You are beautiful. That will never ever change." He said. I glanced in the mirror at Damon behind me. He smiled lightly, a silent agreement with his brother.

"Are you going to drag her out for bunny hunting, like you did with me?" Caroline said, half joking but a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Yes, but for now she needs to build up her strength with human blood." Stefan said.

"Luckily we got new stuff from the blood bank just recently so were good." Damon said.

I stood silent while they talked. Overcome with this new feeling. This new hunger. The idea of never growing old.

"You okay?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah." I answered simply.

Eventually, everyone cleared out of the room except for Stefan. He hugged me close for the longest time.

"I know this isn't what you wanted. I promise though that I'll always be here. Everything is going to be just fine." He said. I nodded.

"I know." I leaned back and looked at Stefan. He leaned in and kissed me softly.

"I love you, Elena." He whispered.

"I love you too." I answered. I was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of affection for him. Almost so much I could barely contain it. I realized then what they meant when they said our emotions were hightened as a vampire. My love for Stefan ran deep and I felt like it was firmly rooted stronger than ever before. Then before I had the chance to even try to control it, I thought of Damon and the feeling I felt when I told him I was letting him go. It felt like a physical kick to my stomach and I felt like I couldn't breath.

"Can I ask you a favor?" I said to Stefan.

"Of course." He said running his hands through my hair.

"I didn't really get a good chance to talk to Damon about...us. It was this short sad phone call and I just don't feel like I have closure on it, and he probably doesn't either. Do you mind if I talk to him? Alone?" I said, trying to make him understand I meant not even in hearing shot.

"I understand." He said respectfully. "I'll go check on Jeremy. Give him and update. Everything seems to be quiet on the danger front. At least for now." Stefan said.

"Thank you, Stefan." I said.

He turned to leave but he stopped at the door just before leaving.

"Elena?" He said.

"Yeah?"

"What happened with you and Damon while you were gone getting Jeremy?" He asked.

I was stunned by the question and at first I couldn't speak. "We kissed." I answered.

He narrowed his eyes like he knew there was more.

"It was a pretty heavy kiss." I told him truthfully.

He paused for a second, I could tell he was trying to process the information.

"Okay." He said simply. Then he left.

After everyone was gone I made my way downstairs to find Damon. I found him sitting with a glass of scotch my the fire going through a stack of papers.

"What's all that?" I asked.

"Stolen medical files that belonged to Meredith. I'm trying to figure out exactly who's blood turned you." Damon said without even looking up at me.

I kneeled down next to him and felt the racking pain hit me in the stomach again. I wanted to reach out and touch his face. To lean into him. I wanted to be close but I couldn't. I had made the decision to let him go and I had to stick to it.

"Damon." I said.

"Elena. You don't have to explain anything to me anymore. You made your choice. I get it. Stefan is the better brother. Aside from the psycho he has buried within I guess he's more stable, maybe more reliable. More safe." He shrugged and tossed some papers into the fire.

"Damon, please look at me." I said.

He sighed and looked over at me. He saw the tears in my eyes and his face grew soft. "It's okay Elena. I'm going to be okay." He said. "I have you in my life, that still counts for something." He said.

"I just don't want you to think it was easy for me." I said.

"I know it wasn't." He said sincerely.

"Thank you for not leaving." I said.

"I'll never leave unless you ask me to." Damon said. I knew couldn't imagine ever doing that. "I love you, Elena. That I can't help." He said.

I couldn't help it anymore and I started to cry.

"Don't cry. It's okay." He smiled lightly. He put his arm around me and I leaned into him. He didn't realize that for some reason I still felt such hurt. That even though he was right next to me, I still felt like I lost him.

"I just feel so strange right now." I said through tears.

"Elena look at me." Damon said. He leaned back and put his hands on my shoulders, looking me dead in the eyes. "You have had a life changing night. Eventually you will settle in to this new body. I know why you hesitated earlier. I know you were afraid to let go of simply being human. The idea of growing old, having children. All of that. I know because that's why I chose to die instead of becoming a vampire. Even though that didn't quite work out, obviously. Peer pressure and all. Stefan can be quite the 'mean girl.'" Damon smiled.

I laughed a little.

"But Elena, just remember that you can take any situation make it best you can. You may not have children and be able to grow old but you can see the world, you have time to waste now. So waste it. Be stupid, have fun...dance in the rain and all that. That's what I want for you." He said. I felt an overwhelming need to embrace him. To kiss him.

Suddenly his voice got distant and my ears began to ring. I felt almost like I was going to pass out and then I saw a vision. I saw Damon standing in front of me. Telling me to forget what he was saying. Then all the sudden it was back to normal and I was left looking at Damon who was looking at me with confusion.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I think I just had a memory. One that I don't remember though. Then all the sudden I froze and I noticed Damon had stiffened up as well. That's when I realized, Damon had compelled me before and I was beginning to remember it.

"I'm fine." I told him.

**Leave reviews please :) Thanks for reading. Hope ur liking it. **


	3. Chapter 3

Caroline was enjoying it, I could tell. We were in our second hour in the woods as I was being trained to hunt animals. I knew it was a better alternative to hurting or killing anyone but I still couldn't stand hurting anything at all. Hunger for blood, however, is what won in the end. I hated to admit it, even silently to myself but the hunger for blood as a vampire was more powerful than I ever imagined. Between the first full week adapting to being a vampire,processing everything I've lost, obtaining a new diet, trying to figure out what happened when Damon compelled me, trying to hold together my newly renewed relationship with Stefan which was incredible strained for some reason ….it was blood still, that stayed in the back of my mind. Always lurking in the background, infiltrating all my thoughts.

The worst thing that happened in the past week though, happened between Stefan and I. It had been so nice to finally have a definitive answer out there. I chose Stefan. We were back together and all was right in the world. Except that it wasn't. I never expected our lives together to go back to how it was. Noting was the same around us. We weren't the same people anymore. The only thing that remained the same was that I loved him. For once things were quiet. There wasn't some evil force out to get us. We weren't having to gather and plan and fight. I wasn't used to the spare time. Things seemed somewhat normal between us until a few nights before.

I was laying in bed, reading through a magazine I had found, trying to take my mind off of the blood and the same scene of Damon telling me to forget. Forget what? I sighed and tossed the magazine aside just as Stefan walked in. Without a word he crawled onto the bed and began to kiss me. We began pulling off cloths. Somehow I felt nervous, it had been so long since I had been with him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and things grew hot. Until another image blasted through my mind. Damon stood in front of me, crying. He reached out and touched my face but as he spoke, his were silent and then my mind went blank again. The memory wracked me so hard I literally pushed Stefan back.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked between heavy breaths. At first I was silent. I shut my eyes tight trying to remember what happened but it was blank. I opened them again. Stefan's were pulled together in confusion.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I just..." I was speechless.

"It's okay, Elena. You've had an incredibly crazy week. We can take It slow okay?" Stefan said, brushing my hair lightly. My throat tightened and I felt tears coming on. I turned and around and pretended to sleep the rest of the night.

"Elena!" Caroline called, sounding exasperated and annoyed. I turned and looked at her.

"What's going on with you today? Seriously!" She fussed.

"I'm sorry." I said, readjusting my pony tail.

I listened to the wind rustle through the leaves and the trees creak. The sun was barely filtering through and I took a seat against one of the larger trees.

"Seriously. Talk to me." Caroline said as she sat down next to me.

I looked at her face. I could still see the sadness in her eyes. We hadn't been able to find Tyler's body and I felt like she wanted that, at least for closure. She had been staying with Bonnie, keeping out of the eye of the public, but I began suspecting that it wouldn't be too long before she left town. All of us tip toed around the idea of us leaving town. The council knew about all of them. So far their hadn't been a mob with pitch forks and torches, but it wouldn't be long.

"Damon compelled me when I was human." I told her.

"Oh my god. Of course he did!" She said sounding annoyed. "Oh no, what did he do to you?" She said looking at me in alarm.

"He's not a complete monster, Caroline. I'm sure it was nothing... but I can't remember the whole thing and it's making me crazy." I told her.

"I know what you're talking about. I had a few suppressed Damon memories of my own when I turned. I didn't remember them fully until I compelled someone the first time. So you need to compel someone." She explained.

"I am not doing that to anyone." I snapped.

"Oh come on Elena. Just cause you compel someone doesn't mean it has to be for evil or whatever." She shrugged. "Come on. Let's go take care of this."

Before I knew it we were back at my house. It was only the second time I had seen Jeremy since turning. Jeremy was angry, upset, maybe a little depressed. Oddly though, he was handling it well. I promised him that I would be coming back home for good soon. I couldn't stand the idea of him being at the house alone. He hugged me close for the longest time. I missed him.

"Okay so ask him." Caroline nudged.

"Ask me what?" Jeremy asked looking at us.

"Okay Jeremy, don't freak out okay? I kind of need to ask a weird favor." I said.

"Okay." He said hesitantly.

" I recently discovered that I had been compelled as a human but I'm having a very hard time remembering exactly what happened. Caroline said that I need to compel someone to remember." I explained to him. I waited for him to get angry considering it was a touchy subject for him when it came to me. I never thought he would forgive me for having Damon compel him.

"So you want to compel me so you can remember." He said. I nodded. "Okay...just nothing crazy." He smiled.

"Thank you, Jeremy. Seriously. I'm going to compel you to clean the house cause it's a wreck." I smiled.

"Nope..I'm out." Jeremy turned away.

"No take backs!" I said grabbing his arm.

"Fine!" He laughed. "At least then I'll want to do it." He smiled.

I looked back at Caroline for direction.

"Okay, all you need to do is just look him right in the eyes and order him to do what you want. Picture him doing it in your head and just say it. It's not very hard at all." She said.

I turned and looked at Jeremy. I walked closer to him and looked closely into his eyes.

"Jeremy. I want you to clean the house. Don't quit until it's done." I said. I felt a strange sensation. Like I could feel my thoughts going into his mind.

"I'll clean the house." He said, quietly.

I turned and looked at Caroline. She gave me a thumbs up.

"Thanks again, Jeremy. Remember I'll be coming back home later this week. For now though I have to run. Caroline needs to get back to Bonnie's unnoticed. So I've been driving her around."I told him.

"Oh well, that's no problem. I'm going to clean the house." He grinned.

Caroline and I laughed as we left.

"Well how long is this going to take?" I asked her as I drove her to Bonnie's.

"Oh don't worry. It will come." She assured me.

Sure enough as I pulled into the driveway I was hit suddenly with the memory I had been trying to resurface. Damon said he loved me, that he just had to say it once. He said it was selfish and that because he loved he couldn't be selfish. He told me I deserved Stefan because he was better. He cried and kissed me on my forehead. Then he told me to forget.

I walked over to the other side of the car, facing away from the house and I kneeled down. I felt tears running down my face. Over and over again I saw the side of Damon that was tender, sweet, kind and selfless. I loved him. I was glad I went ahead and got through that. I needed to focus and Stefan and I. Maybe since I had remembered finally I could move on. I stood up and started heading to the house. Then another memory hit me. One I absolutely did not expect.

"I met him first." I whispered to myself. I leaned back against the pole on the porch, feeling like I couldn't breath from the shock. Not only had I met him first, but I was completely smitten when I did. I remembered, feeling my face burn. Butterflies wracking my stomach when he smiled. He was sweet and charming. Then it hit me. The most important detail of all. He told me that what I wanted was a love that consumes me. That's exactly what he was to me. Then I remembered my conversation with him in the car. When I told him I had to let him go. I remember saying "if we had met first." Why didn't Damon speak up! Why didn't he tell me he HAD met me first. Why didn't he ever tell me? I looked over and saw Stefan's car gone. I looked at my phone through tears. He texted me and told me he had gone to see Sheriff Forbes for an update. I sat down on the half brick wall on the front of the porch. Thinking and rethinking. I felt like everything was a lie. Knowing I met Damon first was completely out of left field for me.

"Are you now assuming the role of a porch cat?" Damon said coming through the front door.

I didn't even look at him. I just sat in silence. I heard him come up behind me. I knew he was assessing my mood and my silence. "Elena?" He said. He waited. Then he sat down on the wall next to me.

"What did I do this time?" He asked.

I looked up into his startling blue eyes. Even as a vampire he made me feel weak. "Why did you compel me to forget? Why didn't you ever tell me I met you first?" I felt tears forming. I got up and stood in front of him. Because he was still sitting, we were eye to eye.

"I knew this was coming." He said, almost borderline amused.

"Well answer me!" I nearly yelled.

He reached out took my hands. The sky had become cloudy and a flick of lighting lit up behind me and reflected in his eyes. It made it him look beautiful and dangerous.

"What would it have done?" He said quietly. "What exactly would it have changed? The only thing it would have done was make things a little more harder for you." He explained.

"Why are you so selfish! You do what you want, when you want...you call all the shots. You kill people to benefit and you turn peoples mothers into vampires but then you hold information back that makes you look good? I don't get it Damon. I don't understand you!" I jerked my hands out of his.

His face grew dark and he stood up, suddenly feeling like a tower of me.

"I always did everything I HAD to do to keep you alive. That usually meant being the evil prick you always saw me as! I was selfish for you. But I never tried self preservation. Telling you all these little things. That would have been selfish for me!" He said.

The thunder rolled heavily.

"You shouldn't have made that choice for me Damon! How dare you compel me to forget!" I screamed. I turned and ran. I felt him grab my arm and jerk me around.

"Don't run!" He yelled.

I jerked away and pushed him, surprised when he flew backwards. Rain began to pour like sheets from the sky. I turn to run again but he caught up and grabbed me and I hit the ground. We wrestled around until I got up and tried again. He got a hold of my arms.

"Stop running from me!" He yelled.

I let a quiet sob escape and then I threw myself into him and kissed him. He felt warm and against my skin in the cold rain. He lifted me from the ground, kissing me so deeply I thought I'd cease to exists.

Then he put me down.

"I'm sorry." He said. "We can't do this." He said. His eyes looked soft but a little tortured.

"What?"

"You chose Stefan. You love him, he's what you want. Not me. I'll always be here for you but we have to stop doing this. I know you feel guilty but you can't turn your guilt into affection, Elena. It's killing me." He said. He reached out and touched my face. The look on his face reminding me of the memory I had. Then he turned and walked into the house.

**Hope im taking this in the right path. For those of you who started reading Heart Of Darkness and were wanting me to continue it. Im going to be using my path for that story with this one. I want to see some jealous elena. Lol Please leave reviews guys. I kid you not I got up today and wrote simply because of the reviews I got. Thanks for reading. **


	4. Chapter 4

It was my first day back to school since turning.

Lesson number ONE: Remember my strength.

I slammed the door off my locker, tore pages out of my text books and I'm pretty sure I broke one of our football players collar bones when I bumped into him in the hallway. Not sure how serious I should have taken any of this seeing as all of this was spent watching Bonnie choke back tears of laughter at my incidences. Needless to say by the time lunch hit I escaped as fast as I could out to the empty bleachers by the football field. I used to feel so breakable and then I just felt like I could break anything. I couldn't stop thinking about Damon, walking away from me days before. We had barely spoken since then. A nod in my direction or a hey when we were coming in and out of the house. It wasn't easy. Things had gotten better with Stefan, however. Things would never be the same again, but they were very close. It felt more natural to kiss him again, to lay next to him and to rely on him. I loved Stefan, no matter what. I'd never not love him.

"Seriously, I'm sorry I laughed at you." Bonnie said walking across the beam of the bleachers. I smiled at her as she made her way over to me and sat down.

"It's okay. I guess it was pretty funny." I said, half heartedly.

"So, what's really wrong?" Bonnie asked. Looking at me in that probing, motherly way.

"I'm fine." I shrugged.

She smiled and nodded and we looked silently out onto the football field for several minutes.

"So, you and Stefan are doing good." Bonnie stated.

"Yeah, were fine." I answered. I loved Bonnie but the last thing I needed was her company at the moment.

"Alright, seriously what is going on Elena?" Bonnie stood up and moved in front of me.

When I was human, I had a relative calmness about me. I could adapt to danger, conflict and confrontation. Now, I felt a surge of emotion with every word. I stood up when Bonnie moved in front of me.

"Bonnie! Things aren't okay. You of all people should realize that. Why haven't I even heard from you until today? Bonnie, I can see the individual drops of morning dew on each blade of grass. I can hear birds from miles away...but I can't bring Jenna back, or Alaric. Tyler's dead, or gone? Who knows, we can't even find his body. Matt is STILL in the hospital from almost drowning to death. I'm a vampire!I kissed Damon. Just the other day. I kissed him and I felt like I was a human again when I did."

"Do you think I really thought everything was okay?" Bonnie asked.

"You thought the entire day was hilarious up until now." I pointed out.

She squared off I front of me. Her face dropping to complete seriousness. "It's either I laugh or cry. Which would you like? We've been spending years protecting you, Elena. Now you're a vampire. We failed."

I stood for a moment hearing her words and I felt a stabbing feeling in my chest. I felt the burn of tears in my eyes. Bonnie was defeated and all she saw me as now, was a product of failure. Failure so devastating, she has to cry so as not to weep.

"I'm sorry." Was all I could muster.

"No, IM sorry. I'm sorry we couldn't do better." She turned and began to walk away. Then she turned back and looked at me. "You kissed Damon again because you love him. I can't stand the boy, but he's not so bad." She said. Then she was gone.

Later that day I went to the boarding house after I got a call from Stefan. He wanted me to meet him there. I had been back at my own house for two days. It was so good to be back with Jeremy and I knew he felt relieved to have me home even though I could still tell he was struggling with the idea that I was a vampire. I guess after some time he would get used to it.

By the time I made It there I realized Bonnie and Caroline were there as well. I walked through the door. Stefan was standing just inside the door, holding a large glass of human blood which he handed to me with a kiss on the forehead.

"How was your day back?" He asked.

"Better if you had been there." I told him with a smile.

"I'll make it back in time to graduate." Stefan smiled.

"So what are we gathered for?" I asked watching Caroline and Bonnie chat carelessly on the couch.

About the second I asked, Damon came walking into the living room carrying a paper in his hand.

"Alright class. Your attention?" Damon grinned as Caroline and Bonnie grew quit. Damon held the piece of paper in the air. "This is a list of every person on the council. Every sitting duck I intend to gun down." Damon said.

"Oh okay, so your plan is kill every man and woman on the council?" Bonnie asked, sitting back with her arms crossed.

"No, judgy. My gun is the plastic orange one from the old Nintendo. Let a guy finish talking." Damon rolled his eyes and wagged a pseudo lecturing finger at Bonnie. "We trap all sixty seven members in a designated area using judgy's magic and then me, Caroline, Stefan and Elena all compel them to forget. Easy as pie."

"Compel sixty seven people?" Caroline asked.

"You got other plans Cinderella?" Damon snapped. "Compelling is sometimes the best benefit." Damon said glancing in my direction. I looked at the floor.

"Okay so what building would you like me to put the entrapment around?" Bonnie asked.

"The Lockwood place. Caroline you just stay hidden for the time being, but we'll need you when the compelling starts. The more of us the faster. Stefan, you've been in touch with Forbes and Lockwood since that night so go tell them to come up with any story possible to bring the council together. Yes, I know they've been horribly discredited and when they mention that tell them to figure it out. If they say it's impossible, tell them to try harder." Damon Said.

"You never quit being a confederate soldier. Did you Damon?" Caroline smiled.

Bonnie left to do the spell. Caroline went back to Bonnie's house. Stefan left to warn Liz and Carol. I was left alone with Damon. I walked over to where he was busy separating papers on the end table.

"What are you doing, soldier?" I smiled.

He smiled, still looking down at his papers. "Strategy."

"Caroline kind of made me think of that." I said.

"Think of what?" He said.

"You were a soldier once. We never talked about it. It made me realize there's a lot we've never talked about. I know a lot of Stefan's human life...but not as much about yours." I said.

"Yeah? What would you like to know? I was a normal guy I guess. Fought for my country for honor. Believed in love, family...wanted kids and a love I could hold onto. Then I lost it forever and became a bitter, selfish, monster. Much like you know me these days." Damon said. He picked up the extra papers he didn't need and threw them into the fire.

"You're not a monster." I said walking up behind him.

"Elena, I told we have to stop this." He said watching the fire.

My stomach dropped. I hadn't done one thing wrong but it was as if he could read my thoughts. What was going on in my head was wondering how Katherine managed this. Why were these two men the most irresistible creatures on earth?

"I know." I whispered.

He sighed and turned to look at me. Then a wicked smile stretched across his face.

"Screw it." He said grabbing me around my waist and pulling me into him. He looked at me for a moment long enough to take my breath away and make my stomach have butterflies. Then he kissed me. Wildly. I didn't even try to hesitate. He backed me against the wall, kissing my neck. I ran my fingers through his hair and felt like I was on fire. I felt the pressure in my eyes and I knew eyes were changing and my teeth were growing. It was hard to control now that it was new. With the feeling I had now, the raw wildness of it I couldn't help it. Damon paused looking at my face and grinned.

Although I loved the sincere part of Damon and I had admitted to myself that the badness in Damon was also something I loved. Especially at the moment.

We stumbled down the hallway and into his room. He pulled my shirt off and when he his hands ran across the skin on my bare skin I felt like I was going to black out.

"Why does this keep happening?" I whispered. Then I pressed my lips to his as we crashed into the bed.

" Cause I should have left." He whispered, his fingers playing under my bra.

I looked at him, wondering if he was serious. He began to kiss my neck but I pushed him back.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I said I should have left. We obviously have some problem...if you want Stefan...I need to get out of Mystic Falls." He said, his face changing from sex, to sadness.

"No." Was all I could say.

"Yes. Unless you're okay with this." He said pressing his mouth into mine. His tongue playing across my lips. I kissed him harder and he started to slide my skirt up.

"No." I said again.

He looked at me confused.

"I'm not okay with this. You were right we have to stop this." I said.

Damon looked me deep in the eyes for so long, I could barely stand it. Then he nodded as if he expected this all to happen.

"After I'm done taking care of this council thing, I'm leaving for New York. I have kind of a place up there. I'm going to leave Mystic Falls. You and Stefan will be better off." He said.

"I don't want you to go." I said.

He got off the bed and slipped his shirt back over his tan, muscled body line.

"I know you don't now, but in the end you'll be glad I did."

"Don't do this for me." I said jumping off the bed.

"Then please...let me do this for me." Damon pleaded.

There was a heavy pounding on the front door. Damon and I went into the livingroom and Damon opened the door.

There was a girl standing there. My age, maybe a couple of years older. Light brown hair, bright green eyes, a pretty tan. She was beautiful.

"Damon Salvatore?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered.

She pulled a stake from behind her back lunged towards Damon.

"No!" I screamed. Before I even realized I was doing it, I grabbed her around her waist and pulled her away from Damon. Damon got to his feet and hovered over the girl. He pulled the stake from her hands and threw it.

"I'm sorry." She whimpered, looking into his eyes. "I don't know why I just did that." I she said through tears.

"She's compelled Damon." I told him.

He looked at her for so long, hovered over her that I got uncomfortable. Then I realized he was compelling her.

"Tell me who compelled you to come here." He said.

"Klaus." She answered.

Damon looked at me shocked.

"What did he say?" Damon asked.

"He told me to tell you, it's not over. He wanted me to stake you and if I failed...to let you kill me." Her voice cracked with fear.

"I'm not going to kill you...what's your name?" Damn ordered.

"Molly."


	5. Chapter 5

Damon helped Molly up and she sat warily down on the edge of couch. Here hazel hair tumbled over her shoulders as she put her face in her hands and cried for a moment. Damon shifted uncomfortably, between annoyance and pity.

"So, Molly...I don't recognize you from around town and Elena hasn't mentioned you being in her high school so imagine you're from somewhere else?" Damon asked trying his best not to sound to pushy for information.

She looked up and wiped the makeup from under her green eyes. I decided she was annoyingly pretty.

"I can't seem to remember hardly anything. I'm sorry. All I know is I'm Molly and I'm 21 years old. I can remember stuff, like my favorite color, which Is blue. My birthday, and my mom Lydia and things like that but I can't remember where I'm from." She shook her head.

"Klaus has a habit making things incredibly frustrating. Like NOT DYING." Damon fussed.

"Damon, I wouldn't be so quick to be mad about that. It's probably why nobody died. He's still alive. In that case we have kind of an issue on our hands because we obviously don't want him around but we also don't want him dead." I told him.

"That Is annoyingly true. I better call the brother." Damon flipped open his cell phone and walked off talking to Stefan.

I looked over and noticed Molly looking at me in surprise. I realized suddenly that our conversation was probably a little crazy for her.

"So you guys are vampires." She said. She didn't seem horribly surprised but more in a mild form of shock.

"Uh, yeah. I'm really sorry about all this." I said

"I figured it out about half way through trying to drive a stake through that guys heart. Damon? Is it?" She asked.

"Yeah, that's Damon Salvatore. I'm Elena Gilbert. If it makes you feel any better..I was human two weeks ago." I said, having no idea why that would make her feel better and feeling stupid for saying that.

"So who s that Klaus guy?" She asked, seeming to relax a little.

"He's actually one of a pack of siblings that are the original vampires. His sister is responsible for my death that turned me. Keep an eye out for her. Super blond and super evil. Her name is Rebecca. They've e all been terrorizing us for so long I barely remember what normal life is like." I smiled lightly.

Molly looked at me in a way that screamed pity. She took her hair and flipped it over her other sleek tan shoulder.

"How did your family respond to you becoming a vampire?" She asked.

"Oh." I said looking down, not knowing how to answer her."

"Omigod that was over the line, I'm so sorry. Please just rewind...go back...ignore my nosiness." She pleaded.

"No, no seriously. It's fine. I lost my parents when I was in my sophomore year. We all went over a bridge in a car accident. My parents drowned. I survived." I told her.

"I'm so sorry. I've always only had my mom my whole life. Apparently she had a fun night at a party and I was the result. She was too ashamed to tell my father and then she lost track of where he was and ….it's pretty pathetic, right? Anyways...I'm sorry about your parents. I couldn't imagine not having both. At least you got out." She said.

"I got out because of Damon's brother, Stefan." He heard the accident and saved me." I told her.

"So awesome of him. So that's how you met Damon?" She asked.

"Actually, I met him right before the accident." I told her, feeling that horrible feeling in my chest. This new heart wrenching memory that was now in my possession.

She nodded, seeing easily there was way more to that story, that there was way more to everything.

"I just keep thinking and I just can't think of where I'm from. It's a horrible feeling." She said rubbing her arm where she had been slammed into the floor earlier.

"I'm sorry, we'll try to figure out something for you. Until then it's probably best that you stay with us. You'll be more safe until you can go home, wherever that is."

The door opened and Bonnie came walking in.

"Hey, Bonnie." I said getting up and walking to her. Damon came walking back in just as she got inside.

"Okay Damon, the boundary spell is set, the council is on their way. I also cast a netting spell in the main room. It will siphon the vervain out of everyone in only a matter of minutes. Your welcome." Bonnie grinned at Damon, knowing he had forgotten that detail.

I grinned and looked at Damon but his usual smirk that was plastered when he was about to shoot out sarcasm was instead, dark, heavy and angry.

"Bonnie. I would like you meet someone." Damon said presenting his hand towards Molly.

Molly waved a small wave not sure what was happening.

"Who's that?" Bonnie asked.

"Oh, well that's a good question Bonnie. You see, THIS is the girl that Klaus got a hold of, and compelled her to come here and try to stake me." Damon explained. His sarcasm was doused in anger.

"What?" Bonnie said, her eyes growing wide.

"She's a human post-it! Sent here to tell me and I quote "It isn't over."" Damon quoted with his fingers so hard I thought his fingers would snap off.

"Damon stop it, why are you yelling at Bonnie?" I said.

"Because, it's judgy who has all the tricks up her sleeves. Watching a vampire set on fire and burn and then magically able to send a little, pink dress wearing assassin to my door with a stake not long after is a little mysterious. Witch!" He said pointing to her.

A small laugh escaped Molly but she quickly stopped when Damon turned and looked at her.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Damon. I don't know what happened. We'll just have to wait till he comes forward." Bonnie shrugged.

"Well, that outta be a glorious reunion." Damon snapped.

Stefan walked through the door. I could tell that when he looked at Molly and then over to Damon that he already knew what was going on.

"I've been thinking." Stefan said.

"About time someone besides me did a little of that." Damn said, obviously feeling extra irritated.

Stefan ignored him. "If all of us vampires show up in that room trying to compel every one in there it's going to get chaotic because they know were vampires. They will be scrambling to get out, stabbing us with table legs, it'll be a disaster." He said.

"So what are you thinking?" Damon asked sounding impatient.

"Well, they have no idea Elena is a vampire. She can walk around the council while everyone is standing around talking as usual and compel everyone. It will take a little while but it will get done easier. Carol and Forbes know what's going down so they will be able to keep things under control." Stefan said.

"I actually think that will work out way better." I agreed. '

"Well, that's a whole lot of compelling for one girl so you need to drink up before you leave. Were all still going to be on the safe side but we will just stay out of view outside. You need us, just call." Damon said.

"Hopefully this works. I think Caroline is going to go crazy at my house." Bonnie said.

"Oh Elena, I was also thinking you should add in a social event somehow. Maybe into one of the leaders heads. We need a tester for all of us being out in the open and making sure there's no reactions to us being there. Make sure it worked." Stefan said.

"Smart thinking." I smiled. He grinned and hugged me. I looked up and kissed him.

"Okay, enough. Drink this." Damon said, shoving a glass of blood into my hands.

After a while we all headed out to the Lockwood's. Molly was calm as she trudged through the woods with us heading towards the house. There was a small crash and I heard Damon laugh quietly. Molly had tripped over a huge root and fell sideways into a bush. He pulled her out smiling.

"Try to stay on your feet." Damon said.

She laughed. "So much for being an assassin in a pink dress." She said.

He pulled a few leaves out of her hair. I turned around and began walking faster to the house.

"Okay were stopping here. Just call us if you need us." Stefan said. "I love you." He said kissing me on the head.

I went inside and found the council standing around talking. I struck up a conversation with the first women standing closest to the door. Without even a hard try I compelled her. I made my way around the room for about an hour and managed to compel everyone there. I even had a garden party set up for a few nights later. That was probably the smoothest any plan of ours had ever gone. Soon most people were cleared out and I had a short conversation with Forbes and Carol. We talked about our relief. I felt a stab of pain when Carol said she was so glad Tyler could come home. I excused myself and made my way outside.

"Hey, over here." I heard Damon's voice. He stood off on the other side of the porch waiting for me. Half his face silhouetted by the moonlight.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Their back towards the car out in the woods. Did everything go okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, everything went perfect actually. I think that crisis might be averted. Finally." I said.

Damn nodded and sighed. "Yeah, finally." He turned and jumped off the porch and I followed him. He took a few steps, like we were about to walk back towards the car and the others.

"Damon." I said. I guess by the tone of my voice he knew what I was about to say. He stopped but didn't turn around.

"What, Elena." He said, his voice soft but sad.

"Damon, please don't leave. Please don't go to New York." I pleaded.

He turned around. "This isn't working Elena." He reached out and touched my face. I swear it was like every fiber of my being was holding back, but before I knew it I was wrapping my arms around his neck. I kissed him for the longest time.

"I don't know why I keep doing this. I'm so sorry." I said back up again.

"Are you going to leave Stefan for me?" Damon asked, his brows pulled together in seriousness.

"I can't."I whispered.

"I know. So what are we going to do, Elena?" He grabbed me towards him and kissed me again, moving from my lips, to my neck and to my shoulder. "Are just going to sneak around?" He looked at me. His beautiful eyes illuminated by the moon, looking more like a vampire than ever. We stared at each other for what seemed like forever. "Are we just going to mess around everytime we have a free chance. Please, Elena...you know me. Don't put it past me." He grinned, so sexy I could barely stand it.

"But I know you. You're only acting irrationally because you're a vampire now. As a human you would never have looked at me again once you chose Stefan." He said.

" I don't think that's entirely true." I said.

Damon walked slowly closer to me. His grinned faded into sadness. He ran his finger tips down the side of my face. "I love you." He leaned in and kissed me. Deeply. "I won't leave. At least not right now with this whole Klaus thing. We'll see. If we can eventually be in the same room alone without taring down every belief you have then I'll see. Trust me...I love you. I want you. But I don't want being a vampire to change you in any way. Right now, your heart is just singing the things it used to hum." He smiled lightly. Damon took my hand we walked hand in hand most of the way back. Until we heard talking and laughter up ahead where everyone waited. He let go of my hand but looked over at me and smiled lightly. I felt a lump rise in my throat and for the first time realized that my choice might have been a huge mistake.

Bonnie and Caroline took off in Bonnie's car. I got in the car with Stefan. Just as I closed the door I looked over and saw Damon holding the passenger side door open to his car as Molly got in.

"I think I'll stay with you tonight. At the Boarding House." I told Stefan.


	6. Chapter 6

A few days had passed since the night I compelled the entire council to forget about what Alaric had said. Sheriff Forbes was back to work. Carol was back to running the town and the council seemed quiet again. There was, however, banners and signs and news flashes on tv about the upcoming Garden Party next to town hall. I was looking forward to a little excitement. Putting on a pretty dress and dancing the night away. I was in a good mood. The last few days had been quiet and peaceful. The night we got back from the Lockwood's, Molly got set up in a room in the north part of the boarding house. Down the hall from Stefan's room. We talked to Bonnie about a spell to help recover her memories about where she's from because even more compelling couldn't recover it. Bonnie said she would look into it. It wasn't so bad having her around though. I felt comfortable around her. She felt familiar and trustworthy. It was nice to have somebody new around that we didn't have to fear for once. I was feeling especially better on this particular day because Matt was being released from the hospital and I was going to pick him up. I felt so relieved that he was on the mend. Walking into the hospital I noticed Meredith standing by the counter looking carefully over a chart. She looked up as if she knew I was there.

"Elena." She said, slamming her chart closed and walking up to me.

"Hey Meredith." I smiled.

"Elena...I...I'm so sorry." Meredith said, shifting her around uncomfortably.

The sounds of the hospital were overwhelming. The beeping the talking, the paper printing, people walking. I concentrated on blocking out the noise.

"Meredith you had no way of knowing. It wasn't your fault. This isn't what I wanted, but at the same time...I didn't want to die." I told her.

She nodded and smiled halfheartedly. "Well, Matt is doing much better. His oxygen levels are wonderful."

"Did he come by these improvements naturally?" I asked. I couldn't believe I said it. It was sarcastic and hurtful. Being a vampire made a lot of your inhibitions fly out the window. I needed practice.

"Yes." Meredith said after she picked her jaw up off the floor. "I didn't give him anything extra." She said. Her eyes fell to the floor. I thought about apologizing, but then I thought of my children that I would never see and decided not to. "He's in room 233." She added just before she turned and left.

**BOARDING HOUSE**

Damon opened his eyes and listened to the unfamiliar sound outside that had obviously woken him up. He tried to decipher the squeaking sound, the sound of soil and root being pulled. He got up and made his way outside.

"Morning!" Molly smiled. Damon saw that she was elbow deep in soil and beside her was a wheel barrel, which he realized made the squeaking noise, was filled with flowers.

"Are we getting ready for a photo shoot for Better Homes and Gardens?" Damon asked, annoyed that he was woken early after a late night, not able to sleep.

Molly threw her had back and laughed. Damon smiled. Her laugh was intoxicating. "No, grumpy. I went to the store this morning. I had some cash in my pocket and I decided to get some flowers for the front of the house. I mean...this is an amazing house and land. You guys should hire a landscaper!" She said putting a new patch of flowers in the ground.

"We just haven't gotten around to it, between sacrifices and mass loss and one disaster after another." Damon shrugged.

Molly's smile faded a little but Damon noticed it was only just a little. She got up and walked over to him.

"I'm sorry you've had a hard time Damon. I know I don't know everything, or even close but what's the point in living for an eternity if you make everyday more miserable then it has to be?" She smiled.

"You sound like a greeting card." Damon smiled.

"Sometimes life CAN be a greeting card. Look at today. The sun is shining, no danger is at hand...there's pretty flowers being planted. The soil is great." She said grinning. She took her soil covered hands and rubbed them on Damon's cheeks and on his forehead. He stood expressionless which made her burst into a fit of giggles. As much as he hated it, the corner of his mouth tugged in a smile he couldn't refrain from.

"You look so out of place in the sunshine, soil on your face! You're like Sweeney Todd in a candy store!" She laughed so hard she held her stomach. Damon cracked up too.

"Well, thanks for planting pretty flowers in front of my house. It definitely livens it up. Pun intended." He grinned.

"Clever!" She chimed.

**ELENA**

After getting Matt checked out of the hospital I was driving him back to his house in a car that was filled with a lot of silence. I had to remember that although a lot had changed for me since that night we went over the bridge, that for Matt is probably seemed like just last night.

"I heard about what you did." Matt said after several minutes of silence.

"I was tired of people dying for me and around me, Matt. I wasn't going to let him save me and leave you to die." I said.

"It's not like I'm surprised, Elena. I just wish you hadn't. Now look at you." He said.

"What does that mean? I'm a vampire. Yeah it's not ideal but I'm alive." I said.

"No, you're not alive. Now you're never going to get away from those damn vampires." Matt said.

"One of those damn vampires saved your life, Matt." I reminded him.

"At what price?" He sighed.

"I'm sorry you're disappointed, Matt. Personally, I'm glad to be alive, or whatever you would call it. When I was completely human, death seemed like the best decision before being a vampire but now I look back and I think of all the things I would miss if I had died." I explained, trying to be patient with Matt's attitude.

"Like what, Damon? Stefan?" Matt grumbled.

"Like, Jeremy! Matt. Like my brother...who would be entirely alone without me. I wish everyone would just get off of the whole Stefan and Damon kick. Stop blaming every little thing on them and thinking my every decision is made for them. I love others outside of them." I fussed. Matt looked forward as we drove, seeming to think in silence. I started to feel guilty for yelling.

We pulled up in front of Matt's house.

"Matt, I'm sorry." I said.

He looked at me, tilting his head. "Don't be." He smiled and got out of the car and I watched until he walked into his house. I knew this wouldn't be the end of the argument.

**BOARDING HOUSE**

Molly walked into the main room where Damon watched a random football game and flipped through some of Bonnie's spell books.

"Are you going to that party tonight?" She asked.

"I rarely pass up a chance for a good party. I'm just not feeling it this time around." Damon said without looking up from the book in his hands.

"I was thinking maybe you and I could go together." Molly said.

Damon looked up and dropped the book from his hands as he stood. Molly stood wearing a lavender dress, the sleeves reached her elbows, and the bodice held tight to her torso and the dress swept around her ankles lined with cream lace.

"What do you think? I found it in your closet." Molly smiled.

"That's my mothers dress." He said.

"Oh...omigod I'm sorry. I just saw it and I thought you were holding it for Elena or if you had a sister or something." Molly backed up from Damon not sure how to decipher the trouble on his face.

He stood for a moment in silence. His face in half anger and half surprise.

"You look beautiful." Damon smiled lightly.

**ELENA**

I pulled on the emerald dress I had been dying to wear since my first dance as a freshman in high school. It looked better on me than ever. All I knew as I admired the dress in the mirror was that I was going to enjoy the night. Forget any worry and have a good night with the love of my life. Stefan.

"That's a beautiful dress." Stefan said appearing behind me, smiling down at the silky fabric of my knee length dress. I leaned my head back into his shoulder and smiled.

When we arrived at the garden party it was well under way. It seemed as if the entire town was in attendance.

We walked boldly into the party hoping my compulsion worked. My relief came rushing in when everyone from the council danced on, having a great time, even when they saw Stefan.

"Looks like this was a success." Stefan smiled.

"Yes it does." I said. I tugged on his arm.

"You know I hate dancing." Stefan groaned with a grin.

"Oh, come on." I laughed.

I pulled him out into the dance floor. Just as I laid my head against his chest I saw Damon walking into the lights of the party with Molly on his arm. She looked phenomenal in a timeless lavender gown. It bothered me how beautiful she was. Not in the way Rebecca was pretty, that secret underlying evil pretty. Molly was pretty because she was both physically beautiful but she had a very good soul in her and it was easy to see. Either way, my stomach twisted in the most horrible way when I saw her walk in with Damon. He had a smile on his face, something she had said...or more whispered in his ear. He thought it was genuinely pretty.

"That's our mothers dress." Stefan said. I looked at his face as he stared at Molly.

"The dress she's wearing?" I asked.

"Yes." He answered.

I looked at Damon but wasn't sure why. Somehow I wanted an answer from him. From a whole room away I wanted him to tell me why she was wearing their mothers dress. Just as he pulled her into his arms and they began to dance he looked over her shoulder at me. The only answer I got from him was in his eyes; and his told me he was pained to see me there, dancing with Stefan but then they lightened and I realized he was trying. He was trying to move on. Trying to find a new connection...in Molly.

**DAMON**

"Thanks for letting me wear this dress." Molly said, looking up at Damon.

"It looks good on you. Oddly in sync with the fashion today." Damon grinned.

"I'm glad you decided to come. I know it's hard for you. Being in love with Elena and all." Molly said.

Damon looked down at Molly in shock.

"Did you think it was some secret?" Molly asked smiling.

"Maybe not so much a secret but I'm trying to except my fate as 'not the one' I guess you could say." Damon smiled.

"Not the one for HER at least." Molly said looking up at Damon with unfailing contact with his blue eyes.

**ELENA**

"I wonder what's up with this Molly girl." I said watching her and Damon dance across the room.

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked.

"I mean we don't know where she's from, who she is. She seems to be getting awful close to Damon all the sudden. I mean look at the way she looks at him. She looks at him like..."

"Like you do..." Stefan said.

My stomach dropped at his words. I opened my mouth to deny this but Caroline came out of nowhere basically shrieking my name.

"Elena!" She said grabbing my shoulder.

I turned and looked at her.

"Come with me, right now." She said, with stern words and tear stained eyes.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Just follow me!" She said again.

I looked across the room at Damon. He nodded to tell me he would be following us.

Caroline lead us into a room just inside the community building. Inside the sound of the party was muffled and quiet, but I could feel the danger that was around us. That's why I was surprised when I walked into a room to see Tyler standing there.

"Good evening!" He said.

Caroline gave me a cringed, tearful look.

"Tyler?"

"Klaus...call me Klaus." He said.

"What? How did this happen?" I asked.

He smiled and crossed his arms. Just in the way he tilted his head I could tell he was Klaus.

"Why don't you ask your friend Bonnie?" He smiled.

I heard a little shuffling and noticed Molly step behind Damon in fear.

"Damon, who's your little friend there?" Tyler ...or Klaus asked.

"You should know. You sent her to kill me." Damon answered.

"And with good reason .I'm surprised she failed. Come here dear heart." Tyler said extending his hand to Molly. I noticed when Damon held out his arm to protect her. She dipped under his arm walked straight to him. It was obvious that he had previously compelled her to come to him as soon as she saw him again.

"Leave her alone, I think you've done enough." Damon said.

"Don't you want to know where she's from?" Tyler said like it was dumb not to want that.

"Where did you kidnap her from is the real question?" Stefan said.

"Look at her. She doesn't seem familiar at all? Maybe that's why you all seem to love her already." Tyler said grinning at me, then at Damon.

I started to feel nervous with the way he was talking. He was excited...that meant something big.

"Who is she, Klaus?" I asked.

"You see, when Molly here was just a baby her father was nowhere to be found because her mother didn't bother to tell her father that she was pregnant." Tyler smiled.

"Who's her father?" Damon asked.

"Alaric." He said "It's too bad he's too dead to see her. So grown up...so pretty." Tyler laughed.

"My fathers dead?" Molly said looking distraught. She looked at me, Stefan and Damon for an answer. When we couldn't say anything she began to weep. For that I felt tears forming in my own eyes. I knew what it was like to know my father was gone. I also realized that the foreign familiarity I had with her must have been because she was part of Alaric.

"I hate to crash your party but I just wanted to stop in and give you the good news. Part of good ole Ric still lives!" Tyler clapped sarcastically. He then took Molly and shoved her back at Damon who took her into his arms.

"I'll be back for her. So enjoy her while you can." He winked at Damon.


End file.
